Catch-up freestyle
A coordination drill in which the lead arm briefly waits for the recovering hand before beginning the next pull.
- Stroke
-
Freestyle
- Goal
-
Coordination
- Level
-
Beginner
How to do it
Swim easy freestyle. Keep one arm extended in front, in line with the shoulder, until the other hand reaches roughly the same position; the waiting arm then begins its pull. The hands do not need to touch, and the pause should stay brief.
Key cues
- Stay long without crossing the hands in front of the head.
- Keep the head quiet and exhale normally into the water.
- Let the torso rotate with each stroke instead of swimming flat.
- Return to full-stroke freestyle when coordination starts to break down.
Common mistakes
- Waiting so long that the stroke develops a major dead spot.
- Crossing the centre line to reach the other hand.
- Forcing a glide instead of keeping the stroke fluid.
Practice format
4 × 25 m catch-up with 15 to 20 s rest, then 4 × 25 m full freestyle while keeping the same sense of length.